This invention relates to a connector configured to be mated with and connected to a mating connector mounted on an object (for example, a circuit board) in a state where the connector is attached to a sheet-like connecting object such as an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) or an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable).
For example, a connector assembly having a reduced height is disclosed in JP-A 2011-18488, contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
As shown in FIG. 14, the connector assembly disclosed in JP-A 2011-18488 comprises a first connector and a second connector configured to be mated with each other. The first connector is mountable on a circuit board. The second connector is attachable to a plurality of cables (i.e. a plurality of connecting objects). The first connector and the second connector of JP-A 2011-18488 are matable efficiently while they have reduced heights. More specifically, two operations, namely a positioning operation and a final mating operation, are performed so that the first connector and the second connector are mated with each other. By the positioning operation, the first connector and the second connector are relatively positioned in the vertical direction. By the final mating operation, the second connector is mated with the first connector along the horizontal direction. In detail, as shown in FIGS. 14(a) and 14(b), the second connector located above the first connector (i.e. located at the positive Z-side of the first connector) is moved downward (i.e. moved along the negative Z-direction) so that the first connector is covered by the second connector. The first connector and the second connector shown in FIG. 14(b) are relatively positioned to each other in the vertical direction (Z-direction). Then, as shown in FIGS. 14(b) and 14(c), the second connector is horizontally moved along the positive X-direction so as to be mated with the first connector.
It is desired to connect a sheet-like connecting object such as an FPC to a connector matable with and connectable to a mating connector (i.e. a connector similar to the second connector of JP-A 2011-18488). In other words, it is desired to connect the second connector not to a connecting object including a plurality of cables but to a sheet-like connecting object such as an FPC.
However, the second connector of JP-A 2011-18488 is not configured to be attachable to a sheet-like connecting object.